The renationalisation of Chiltern Railways will provide ‘a fresh opportunity to deliver East West Rail and its benefits for passengers’, according to the Government. Chiltern will be controlled by DfT Operator from 02.00 on Sunday, and it has already been nominated as the future operator of East West Rail. However, although the
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RMT to protest as East West Rail dispute hardens
The dispute over driver-only operation on East West Rail is being stepped up by the RMT. Its members are being balloted for a strike, and the union is planning to stage a demonstration outside Marylebone station in London on Monday. The service between Oxford and Milton Keynes is set to be operated
Government moves to end ‘cancellation limbo’
New rules about the rights of passengers whose trains are cancelled have come into force, affecting nearly all English train operators. Passengers whose trains are cancelled can now use other services without any further charge or the need to rebook. A more restricted version of the scheme had already included the renationalised
Thameslink bids farewell to ‘ironing board’ seats
The ‘ironing board’ seats which were installed on Thameslink’s Class 700 fleet more than ten years ago are reaching the end of their lives, after years of criticism by uncomfortable passengers. The seats, which were specified by the Department for Transport along with the rest of the trains, have given commuters
New Transpennine trains to be built at Derby
The government has announced that 29 battery-electric trains for TransPennine Express worth £1 billion are to be built by Alstom in Derby. Construction of the fleet of Adessia Stream units is set to begin in 2028, and they should enter service from 2034, replacing some of the Siemens Class 185 units
Railways help stranded air passengers
Hundreds of thousands of people are reported to have been delayed by flight cancellations and delays which have been caused by a technical problem at air traffic control yesterday. National Rail has announced that ticket restrictions are being eased, to help stranded airline passengers. It’s believed more than 300 flights have
Government sets new rail freight target
A new target for increasing rail freight has been published by the Government. The aim is to see the volume of freight carried by train to be increased by at least 40 per cent by 2040, and at least 75 per cent within the following ten years. It said the new
Stratford could become International at last
Stratford International in east London could be set to justify its title at last, 17 years after the station was opened. Channel Tunnel trains have never called there, even during the 2012 Olympics, when Eurostar preferred to bring international visitors to St Pancras, from where they could catch a high-speed Javelin
GWR cancels services as Class 175 problems go on
A number of GWR stopping trains between Penzance, Plymouth and Exeter have been suspended from today, as the operator continues to struggle with the problems it has been experiencing with 26 ex-Transport for Wales Class 175 units. The Alstom-built 175s, which entered service more than two decades ago on the North
Northamptonshire MP calls for EMR to be renationalised
The MP for Corby says his constituents are being 'stranded and left out of pocket' by cancelled services on East Midlands Railway, which he says should be renationalised as soon as possible.The operator, which is owned by Transport UK Group, was originally run by Abellio, but it withdrew from the